Wool combing machine



y 1952 J. EASTWOOD 2,596,540

WOOL com-nus MACHINE 2 SHEETS-SHEET l INVENTOR 35 3 3 A 5 BY 1 0 I I F ?1 'ou I May 13, 1952 J. EASTWOOD 2,596,540

' WOOL COMBING MA 1946 2 SI-IEETS SI-IEET 2 INVENTOR Patented May 13, 1952 WOOL COMBING MACHINE James Eastwood, Methuen, Mass; Eva Eastwood,

executrix of said J ames Eastwood, deceased, assignor to Eva Eastwood, as an individual Application May 2, 1946, Serial No. 656,691

6 Claims.

This invention relates to wool combing machinery and particularly to the manner of supporting what are known as the plows used in Noble combs substantially of the type referred to in patents to Sarkisian of September 4, 1945, No. 2,384,344, and Lee of August 23, 1904, No. 768,381.

In such combs there is a large circle on which there are two sets of plows and two small circles on each of which there is one set of plows. While Lee shows the plows for each small circle supported from the outside, it is now customary to support them from the inside and the plows for the large circle are supported from the inside, in both cases from the stationary frame of the comb.

The purpose of Lee is to keep the parts of the plows which adjoin the points of the pins away from those points and he therefore thickens his plows at the bottom and he also supports each set of his plows by means of an arm which is cylindrical although each of his plows is shown as having a rectangular slot. I-Iis supporting arm is shown as having collars or washers between the thin parts of the plows and there are nuts on each end but the wide bottom part of his plows rest upon what he calls an annular plate 2 which is either the top face of the large circle or of the small circle. As the front edge or nose of each plow rests on that face and as each plow is free to pivot on its supporting arm and as the circle and stock move towards the sloping front edge of the plows, this nose is pressed down on to the top face of the circle and will act as a cutting edge and will out a groove.

On the other hand, Sarkisian shows plows of different thicknesses with the inner plows of less thickness than the outer plows but each plow of the same thickness throughout. However, he also provides a hub 6 which extends on each side of each plow so as to space the plows apart but to allow each plow to drop down onto the top face of a circle or annular pin carrying plate or table.

In 1904 at the time the Lee patent was issued there were fewer concentric rows of p ns and the rows werewider apart and the pins were thicker than in 1946. Now the rows of pins, especially on the inside of the large circle and all of the rows of pins on the small circles are closer together and there are more concentric rows with the result that the stock cannot crowd down more than half way to the bottom of the pins and there is no necessity for the plows to rest on v the top face of the circle.

However, While plows with wide bottom edges or faces or points such as shown by Lee can slide along on the top face of a circle without digging grooves very quickly in the top face of a circle or being very quickly worn down, where thinner plows are used, the front edge or nose is so narrow that it is a cutting edge or if it is rounded at the tip at the beginning it quickly wears down, with the result that these plows out grooves in the top faces of the circles thus wearing themselves out and wearing out the top faces. These circles are very expensive and the introduction of the pins correctly into them is slow and difficult work.

The main purpose of my invention is to so support the plows that they can never come in contact with. the top face of the circle in such a way that they can out grooves or be worn out themselves. Both therefore last indefinitely instead of it being necessary to replace them every few months.

The circles are now made with the inside pins substantially perpendicular to the top face of each circle but the other pins slope more or less outward until the outer set of pins slope so much that the points of the next inner row are substantially perpendicular to the bases of the outside row.

For that reason I find it necessary that the plows should be so sup-ported that they can move radially with reference to the axis of the circle on their supporting arm but I have them so held that their bottom edges and noses or points will be close to but will not touch and press on the top face of the circle.

I accomplish this by having a substantially rectangular recess extending into the back edge of each plow near the top and I provide an arm of rectangular cross sect on which fits accurately into this recess so that, while the plows can move radially or laterally, they cannot rise or drop onto the plate. The supporting arm is carried by a stand and preferably can be adjusted by means of a set screw.

Instead of an arm with a rectangular cross section to fit a rectangular recess in the ploughs, I can use other means, some of which I will describe, to accomplish roy purpose.

My structure preferably allows the plows to slip radially with reference to the c rcle but to lock them axially or vertically so that the bottom edge of the nose will be proximate the circle but cannot drop on to it so as to cut a groove and it cannot be lifted if stock gets underneath the nose.

I find that by locking the plows with their bottom edges from one-sixteenth to one-eighth inch from the plate, the fibre when pushed down by the dabbing brush or member will ride over, not under the point of the nose or front tips of the plows.

With the usual plow such as Lee and Sarkisian, the arm is cylindrical and the hole in the plow is round so that when putting the plows in position, each is lifted high over the pins, slipped along the arm, and is then dropped down until it rests on the circle where it remains and gouges a groove. The plows are not locked in place against vertical movement.

My plows, Figs. 1 to 5, are not dropped but the nose of each is pushed down between two adjoining rows and then the whole plow is moved back onto the holding and locking arm.

In the modern combs, the two or more rows of the outside pins on the small circle and also some of the inner rows of pins on the large circle slope successively outward or inward so that those on the small circle almost intersect with those on the large circle. For that reason and because the pins are much closer together and finer than they used to be, the thickness of the plows at the bottom cannot be much over s and there is a clearance between them and the bases of the pins of not over While the noils and some of the waste are thrown off by the plows, some of it gets down in between the pins and it is necessary to clean them every hour or so by the use of a hand instrument.

Lees idea seems to be to allow the wide bottom edges of the plows to rest on the top face of a circle and of course if they are resting on it, the stock forces them down and their points out grooves. Both he and Sarkisian want to save the points of the pins, Sarkisian doing thisby having hubs which definitely space his plows apart radially while mine preferably can move radially.

My idea is to save the top face of each circle and the bottom edge and the point of each plow. I therefore support my plows in such a way that while they may touch the top face of the circle the tops of the pins, I find that this packing does not occur and it is only necessary to clean the pins and the ploughs about every six hours.

While I can use a plough of the usual shape and lift its back and top high up, I prefer to cut away the bottom part from a point not very far from the tip'of the nose up and back thus leaving the bottom edge of the nose as the only part which is proximate the top of the plate.

The usual plow and such as shown by Lee, Sarkisian, is perhaps eight inches in length at the bottom edge and as each plow must be bent to-conform to the curve of the space between the adjoining rows of pins, this is very difficult to do correctly even on the old combs with wide spaces between the rows of pins. On the modern combs with thin eight inch edge, perhaps 5 inch thick, it is difficult to make them fit the curve between rows and to retain that curve. If a plow does not fit the curve in a space of 54 inch in width and eight inches in length, it wears the bottom of the adjacent pins.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a more or less diagrammatic plan view showing part of a large circle of a Noble comb and of a small circle, both being equipped with my ploughs and holding device.

Fig. 2 is a very much enlarged fragmentary sectional elevation'as on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, to show the present day arrangement of pins on a large and on a small circle.

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of one of my ploughs of the preferred form. V V V Fig. 4 is a very much enlarged sectional view as on the line 5-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a very much enlarged sectional View as on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic elevational view of a somewhat modified type of plough and of the supporting device for a set of ploughs.

Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation as on the line 1-1 of Fig. 6, showing also the pins and part of a small circle.

in which case they would merely smooth it off, i

or polish it, there would always be a slight clearance between the plough and the face of the circle. There could not be any cutting of a groove because my ploughs are set and held permanently in exactly the right vertical position but at the same time spaces are allowed between them at their supporting points so that they can yield radially along the supporting arm and the ploughs which go between the rows of sloping pins on a circle can tip or slope to conform with the slope of those pins. 7

The bottom edges of each set of plows are preferably proximate but not touching the top face of a circle or plate but the plows may be so set that these edges touch but do not rest on such top face.

When the bottom of the'plough extends down well in between the pins nearly to the bottom of the plate or circle as does Lee and Sarkisian, the waste material packs in on each side of the plough between the points and the bases of the pins and so seriously interferes with the operation that ordinarily it must be cleaned out, as described, by a hand tool about once every hour.

By arranging my ploughs and their support in such a way that only the nose of each plough extends down below the points of the pins while the rest of the plough up to and including the top as well as the rest of the bottom edge is above partly in section, showing two ploughs Fig. 8 is an enlarged and exaggerated view, and part of their holding arm and Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8, showing another modification of the construction.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged diagrammatic view, partly in section, showing another modification of the construction of a plough and Fig. 11 is a similar view, showing still another modification.

Fig. 12 is a detail elevational view showing a plough with its holding arm and a locking device.

In the drawings F represents the frame of what is known as a Noble comb in which there is what is known as the large circle L and the small circles S both of which I will call annular combing plates.

Each is provided with a plurality of concentric annular rows of pins indicated generally by P and between rows of these pins there are a plurality of or a set of ploughs A, A.

For the large circle there is a supporting stand B on the inside and for the small circle a similarstand C, each attached to the frame F.

H is an arm carried by either one of' such stands 13 or C so as to project over part of a combing plate S or L for the purpose of supporting a set of ploughs.

In Figs. 1 to 5, the supporting'arm is ofrectangular cross-section where at I I it extends over the pins and ploughs and at its'other end'it is shown as cylindrical at I2. 'This cylindrical end I2' passes through a suitable holei3 in a' stand C orB; there being; an adjusting screw M by which it can be held in any desired position either circumferentially or in andout.

Each plough A is of less depth at its top 1 than either Lee or Sarkisian and the greater part of its curved bottom edge 2 extends above the points of the pins P. Its bottom edge 3 at its nose is relatively straight and forms a' point 4' with its curved top edge 5. To fittherectangular part I l of an arm H, there is atthe back 2| of the top I, a recess R with parallel top and bottom edges 6 and I which are so spaced that theyclosely fit the top and bottom edges and I! of the part I l of the arm H;

In Fig. 2 of the-"drawings six rows of pins P are shownon the large and six" on the small circle with the two outer rows sloping towards each other and in Figs. 4 and 5,, there are five rows shown with the three outer rows sloping out.

InFigs. 4 and 5, the three rows 35, 35 and 3? of the pins at. the outer side of the small circle S are tipped and the tips of the outer ploughs i5 and 46 must be allowed to tip at a similar angle to go between them. To accomplish this and at the same time to hold each plough so that its bottom edge. 3 and its point 4 will not touch or gouge its combing plate L.or S, as shown in Fig. 8, I can make the top and bottom edges it and 4| of the recess R at a slight angle or I can make the recess itself between its top 42 and bottom 43 slightly larger than the thickness of the supporting arm so that in either case some of the ploughs on the outer side can tip or slope.

Other ways of accomplishing the same purpose are by, bending the nose 4! of a plough as shown in Fig. 11, so that it slopes outward between the rows of pins in the same direction that the pins slope or as shown in Fig. 10, one side of the nose such as 48 can be ground away so that the same purpose is accomplished.

The bending of the nose, the bottom edge of which is perhaps one inch in length is much more accurate than when a bottom edge is eight inches long, and it is much easier to push such a nose down between two rows of pins than one of the long type such as Lee.

To prevent the possibility of one or more of the ploughs slipping forward or being brushed forward by an attendant, I can use a lock M such as shown in Fig. 12. 60 represents a plough which at the top is substantially the same shape as the plough A but not only has a recess 62, the top and bottom of which are parallel with and fit the rectangular part II of an arm H, but also has an indent 6| into which extends the top edge of a wing plate 63 which rests against the back of part H and extends up into the in.- dent 6!, there being another wing 66 up into the bottom of which there is an open slot E4 through which a fastening screw 55 passes into a threaded hole in the end of the rectangular arm I-I. This prevents any of the parts from slipping forward out of position.

Instead of havin a rectangular recess in each plough or having a rectangular arm H, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, I can use ploughs G each having a round hole 50 through which a round supporting arm 5| passes, the round arm 5| also passing through a supporting stand 52 and being held in place as by a flange 53 on one side and a collar 55 with a set screw 56 on the other side.

In this case I use an angular guide plate K which extends out over the flat tops 51 of the ploughs, thus preventing them from turning on the round supporting arm 5| I and keeping: their bottom edges 58 and points 59 away from the combing plates. This guide plate'K' has a leg-6T at right angles which bears against the supporting stand 52 so that with the help of the collar 55 and set screw 56 item be fixedii'n position and will stay fixed.

Getting the plows between thesuccessive con centric rows of pins is a delicate and highly skilled operation, particularly betweenthose sloping rows near the adjoining edges of the circles. It is much simpler in placing plows to have a recess with an open back or end and with parallel top and bottom edges, but there is danger that the plows may be moved in and out unless they are locked against circumferential displacement by means such as shown and described in Fig: 12. Such a lock or locking means is put in place after a gang of plows has been put in the right position between the pins and cannot move vertically and thus preventsany circumferential movement. More or less radial movement or movement along the arm between top ends of the plows is not objectionable.

I claim:

1. In a wool combing machine of the class described including a frame and provided with annular combing plates having annularly arranged concentric rows of pins, and a set of plows mounted between said rows of pins, each plow having at its upper back end a recess with parallel top and bottom edges, a supporting stand carried by the frame and positioned inside an annular combing plate, and an arm carried by such stand so as to project over part of said combing plate with a portion having parallel top and bottom surfaces extending through the recesses in a set of plows with a close fit at the top and bottom edges of said recesses and means to adjust the arm and a set of plows with the bottom edges of the plow proximate but not touching the top face of the plate.

2. In a wool combing machine of the class described including a frame and provided with annular combing plates having annularly arranged concentric rows of pins, and a set of plows mounted between said rows of pins, each plow having at its upper back end a recess with parallel top and bottom edges, a supporting stand carried by the frame and positioned inside an annular combing plate, and an arm carried by such stand so as to project over part of said combing plate with a portion having parallel top and bottom surfaces extending through the recesses in a set of plows with a close fit at the top and bottom edges of said recesses, the bottom edges of the plows being proximate but not touching the top face of the plate.

3. In a wool combing machine of the class described including a frame and provided with annular combing plates having annularly arranged concentric rows of pins, and a set of plows mounted between said rows of pins, each plow having at its upper back end a recess with parallel top and bottom edges, a supporting stand carried by the frame and positioned inside an annular combing plate, and an arm carried by such stand so as to project over part of said combing plate with a portion having parallel top and bottom surfaces extending through the recesses in a set of plows with a close fit at the top and bottom edges of said recesses and means to adjust and lock the arm and a set of plows with the bottom edges of the noses of the plows proximate but not touching the top face of the plate, and part of the top and bottomedges of the plows above the points of the pins so that only the noses of the plows extend down between the rows of pins.

4. In a wool combing machine of the class described including a frame and provided with annular combing plates having annularly arranged concentric rows of pins, and a set of plows mounted between said rows of pins, each plow having at its upper back end a recess with parallel top and bottom edges, a supporting stand carried by the frame and positioned inside an annular combing plate, and an arm carried by such stand so as to project over part of said combing plate with a portion having parallel top and bottom surfaces extending through the recesses in a set of plows with a close fit at the top and bottom edges of said recesses to lock the bottom edges of the noses of the plows proximate but not touching the top face of the plate, part of the top and bottom edges of the plows being held above the points of the pins so that only the noses of the plows extend down between the rows of pins.

5. In a wool combing machine of the class described including a frame and provided with annular combing plates having annularly arranged concentric rows of pins, and a set of plows mounted between said rows of pins, each plow having at its upper back end a recess with an open back end, with parallel top and bottom edges and a locking indent, a supporting stand carried by the frame and positioned inside an annular combing plate, and an arm carried by such stand so as to project over part of said combing plate with a portion having parallel top and bottom edges extending through the recesses in a set of plows with a close fit at the top and bottom edges of said recesses and means to adjust the arm and a set of plows with the bottom edges of the plows proximate but not touching the top face of the plate, the tops of the plows being held above the points of'the pins so that only the noses of the plows extend down between the rows of pins and a locking member attached to the arm extending into the locking indent.

6. In a wool combing machine of the class described including a frame and provided with annular combing plates having annularly arranged concentric rows of pins, and a set of plows mounted between said rows of pins, each plow having at its upper back end a recess with an open back end, with parallel top and bottom edges, a supporting stand carried by the frame and positioned inside an annular combing plate, and an arm carried by such stand so as to project over part of said combing plate with a portion having parallel top and bottom edgesextending through the recesses in a set of plows with a close fit at the top and bottom edges of said recesses and means to adjust the arm and a set of plows with the bottom edges of the plows proximate but not touching the top face of the plate, the tops of the plows being held above the points of the pins so that only the noses of the plows extend down between the rows of pins and locking means to hold the plows in place on the arm against circumferential displacement.

JAMES EASTWOOD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

